Bookstore thief pleads guilty to fraud

Steamboat Springs  A former employee of Off the Beaten Path bookstore who admitted last month to stealing $2,500 from the store pleaded guilty on Wednesday to fraud for writing more than $5,000 in bad checks in Steamboat Springs.

Deputy District Attorney Charles Feldmann agreed to drop felony fraud charges against Shawn Donohoo in exchange for his guilty plea to a misdemeanor fraud charge. Donohoo, 22, agreed to pay back $5,242 to five local businesses before he is sentenced in August.

Court records show that in February, March and April, Donohoo wrote a $1,417 check at Radio Shack, a $1,285 check at Ski Haus, a $1,167 check at JW Brewer, a $430 check at FM Light & Sons, and a $640 check at Sears. None of the checks cleared the bank.

According to court records, Vectra Bank closed Donohoo's checking account on March 21 for insufficient funds.

Donohoo was arrested in Killeen, Texas, and booked into the Routt County Jail on April 27.

Donohoo was sentenced April 5 in Routt County Court to 18 months unsupervised probation for the bookstore theft. A one-year jail sentence was suspended, provided he meets the terms of his probation.

As part of an agreement that amended the theft charge from a felony to a misdemeanor, Donohoo was also ordered to pay Off the Beaten Path $100 a month until the $2,500 is paid back.

Donohoo was released from jail Wednesday afternoon after his bond was reduced from $10,000 to $6,000.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 16. He faces one year in jail on the misdemeanor fraud charge.